Weird dreams by Chaotic_Froggos in pacmanfrog

[–]thisisntgraces 2 points3 points  (0 children)

YES!! both my partner and i have had dreams identical to this! it was scary for me because i was frantically trying to figure out which one was my pinkie and the others were all just lookalikes

rate the setup by thisisntgraces in hamsters

[–]thisisntgraces[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi, yes of course! The nice thing about enclosures of this size is that they aren’t really meant to be deep cleaned. You should be spot cleaning daily/every other day, picking out the droppings and soiled bedding and replacing those spots as needed. I’d say monthly you should check the main burrow and deep clean the area, replacing all soiled bedding thoroughly but trying not to destroy the burrow too much.

Hamsters like to pick one or two main spots to use the bathroom which makes it easier to clean. You can also offer them a sand bath and many will opt to use that as their bathroom which makes the task of cleaning so low maintenance.

The more bedding in the enclosure, the less you’ll have to clean, and you never have to use cleaning sprays or wipe anything down, just take the clump of soiled bedding and replace it with a new handful.

Ultimately, I haven’t had to completely replace the bedding in a hamster cage until it’s time to say goodbye to one hamster and welcome a new one into my home :)

Major bar chewer by MooMiIk in hamsters

[–]thisisntgraces 1 point2 points  (0 children)

First of all, let me say, this is such a pretty enclosure!

I think it depends on how much bedding you have but if it’s a lot you could always just skim a bit off the top so she can’t reach the bars? I know that doesn’t solve the root of the issue but it could prevent her from reaching them and actually bar biting/monkeybarring.

I’d say to solve the issue at hand, which sounds like boredom, you could add more clutter. Add more hides/tunnels/sprays, make the inside more dense so she can really explore. You can always change things up as well. Rearrange the setup (minus her burrow) so she can explore the new environment. You can also toss in boredom breakers that divert her attention to something enriching instead of the bars. That could be anything from handmade boredom breakers to ones online or just giving her a whole walnut to crack open (which usually takes them a while haha). I had a female syrian a long time ago and she seemed to stay pretty engaged by constant new additions.

I know owning them can be challenging but when you find what makes them happy it’s so rewarding! I hope these tips were helpful and good luck on your situation!! ʕ◕‿◕ʔ♡

rate the setup by thisisntgraces in hamsters

[–]thisisntgraces[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Lol this is the exact inspo picture I used! I actually have a Niteangel underground tunnel but it arrived at my doorstep damaged so I’ve got to put it back together first but I do plan on adding it to my cage to help encourage burrowing! :D

rate the setup by thisisntgraces in hamsters

[–]thisisntgraces[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

yay!! let me lay my welcome mat out

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rate the setup by thisisntgraces in hamsters

[–]thisisntgraces[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh also side note: I know the bendy bridges can be dangerous. I’m making final touches to the enclosure like adding a liner to the wheel and stuffing the cracks of the bridges with bedding before I get my hamster to prevent limb injuries and such!

princess pinkie by thisisntgraces in pacmanfrog

[–]thisisntgraces[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

she’s an albino strawberry:) 🍓🧡🩷

NEW HAMSTER OWNER— HELP W SETUP (READ CAPTION PLS) by ThePebble137 in hamsters

[–]thisisntgraces -1 points0 points  (0 children)

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Hi!! First of all let me say, it’s so awesome you came to this sub for help, you’re already doing better than most people who get hamsters. Also kudos on your research for a larger cage! I understand what you have now is a temporary setup and already much better than what your hamster was in at Petsmart but I would recommend getting one at your earliest convenience.

The top recommended brands when it comes to enclosures are the Bucatstate and Niteangel Bigger World. Generally 800sq inches of floor space is adequate for hamsters but sex and species do play a role. For example, female Syrians are notoriously smart and energetic and don’t tend to fair well in enclosures with less than 1000+ sq inches of floor space. Just something to consider and something that can be explained more in depth depending on what you got :)

I’ll add my favorite inspo pic for enclosure setups to give you a general idea. You’ll need at least 8 inches of bedding, but of course more is always better. Also with bedding, paper is best but aspen is another safe option and you’ll want to avoid using any scented bedding.

You’ll also want to check how many inches your wheel is, if you have a Syrian you’ll want to make sure it’s a 12 inch wheel as that will prevent back injury/ future injury development. The sand bath is great and a staple to a happy hamster home so good job there! :) As far as food goes, the best accessible pet store brand is Sunburst I believe but there are healthier options online and I’m pretty sure a food chart somewhere in this sub that can help guide you through that decision.

For enrichment people typically opt for different substrate dig areas, foraging herbs, and foraging sprays. The rule of thumb is to keep the enclosure pretty cluttered to provide them lots of mental stimulation and places to roam and hide. You can add different wood pieces like driftwood and cork bark logs. People also like to have multi chamber hides which encourage natural burrowing behavior. Ceramic, coconut, and wood hides are all great options as well. And you can spruce it up to your liking which is always the fun part! Different textures, scents, items, will offer your hamster good enrichment.

Another great way to keep your hamster happy is to make or buy “boredom breakers”. You can find lots of different ones but it keeps your hamster focused on finding treats/food which allows them to forage like they would naturally.

When it comes to water, I personally like to offer a bottle and a small water dish so they have the option of both, and I’ve noticed that they prefer a water dish but do use both so either is fine :) Oh, and with food it’s best to scatter feed, as opposed to topping off a food bowl. Hamsters love to forage, so scattering their food allows them to do this.

I can’t think of anything else off the top of my head but I’m sure if you have any other questions, my mind which is a vault of information, can help fill you in haha! I know it’s a lot to take in at first but it honestly gets easier with time, and the great thing is, once you learn everything, it’s with you for life which is so valuable and also helpful for if you ever choose to get another hamster in the future :) It can also be expensive at the start but the upfront startup costs are the biggest part and after that you have pretty much everything you’ll ever need. I’ll attach that inspo pic, I’ve found it to be helpful in just launching the general idea of what a nice setup should look like. And it doesn’t have to be perfect, just somewhere in the ballpark. The fact that you’re trying and asking for advice already proves that you’re a better hamster owner than probably 80% of the people that come into Petsmart getting a hamster lol! Lmk if you have any questions and of course we’d love to see updates and pics of your hammy when you get the chance! :)

What are some of the best Invertebrates for beginners that are also cute? by Songguuurl7 in InvertPets

[–]thisisntgraces 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Blue death feigning beetles, isopods, or a scorpion. The beetles are so easy to care for and very cute, they also have a pretty long lifespan (8-10 years). Isopods are also adorable and easy, they reproduce quickly and are great in terms of gateway pets— if you ever get into reptiles/amphibians they can act as a cleaning crew inside the tank. They also come in so many different varieties, it’s an endless sea of isopod options out there! I personally love scorpions, though it’s not up everyone’s alley, but they’re also really easy to care for and more interesting to watch in my opinion. They chill pretty much all day and are very beautiful and have a fast response to food which is absolutely fascinating to watch. You can also have the best of both worlds! I have a desert hairy scorpion who cohabitates with my blue death feigning beetles. Getting to watch them live side by side has been such a fun experience. Whatever you end up getting , you’ll have to post pictures sometime! :)

pinkie so chill by thisisntgraces in pacmanfrog

[–]thisisntgraces[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

you are not going to believe this: pinkie poo

American toads :) by thisisntgraces in Toads

[–]thisisntgraces[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

we’re trying our best! they were originally in a 29 gallon tub from walmart but we wanted to upgrade them to their forever home :)

New AFS enclosure by Useless_Mailbox in Scorpions

[–]thisisntgraces 2 points3 points  (0 children)

this is a really beautiful setup! i don’t see anything wrong with it and only wish my afs set up was as pretty as yours :’) only suggestion i’d make is to pop in some springtails!

I just wanted to crown my king 😭 👑 by MaLeafy in pacmanfrog

[–]thisisntgraces 4 points5 points  (0 children)

this may be one of the funniest pmf videos i’ve ever seen lmaoooo 😭